New breast cancer drug approved by the FDA

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(KTVI) - There is a new medicine to treat breast cancer before surgery. It's the first drug of its kind approved for use.

Dr. Theresa Schwartz is a breast surgeon with Saint Louis University Hospital and she talks about "Perjeta."

It was just approved by the FDA. It benefits women with a form of early-stage breast cancer who face a high risk of having their cancer spread to other parts of the body.

The FDA granted the drug accelerated approval for its new use based on a study showing women who received the drug as an initial treatment were more likely to be cancer-free 12 weeks later than women who received older drug combinations.